CHORLEY SPORTS MASSAGE FOR MUSCLE ACHES AND PAINS
Muscle aches and pains don't just affect sports people or athletes - they can affect shop workers, stay at home mums, in fact, they can affect anyone who has muscles!
Find out what causes muscle pain, what you can do to treat muscle pain at home, what doctors can do for muscle pain and how massage and sports massage at Muscle Mender, in Chorley's Buckshaw Village, can help people struggling with muscles aches and pains.
WHAT IS MUSCLE PAIN?
Written by Arran Tomlinson, Sports Massage Therapist at Muscle Mender, Buckshaw Village, Chorley
At Muscle Mender, muscle pain is one of the most common problems I treat as a sports massage therapist in Chorley.
Muscle aches and pains can range from mild discomfort to signifiant pain, and can be localised (affecting a small area or just one muscle) or widespread (affecting several muscles).
If you have aching, sore or painful muscles, it might be that you know what caused it: a strenuous workout, a busy day of DIY. Or the pain might just seem to appear from nowhere, and you don't know why it's started (this is surprisingly common!).
Regardless of how it's started, sports massage is very useful for sore, painful, aching muscles.
WHAT CAUSES MUSCLE PAIN?
The most common cause of muscle aches and pains is overuse or strain. This happens when you either do too much, or do some sudden and intensive movement after not doing much for a while.
Some muscle pains can be caused by injuries. A sprain or strain can hurt straight away, can can be caused by accidents or trying to move in a way that your muscles aren't meant to (but your body allows), like stretching a bit further than normal.
Stress and anxiety can cause physical muscle pain if that stress results in you hunching your neck, shoulders and back for long times. This is also true for people who do a lot of computer based work but don't take breaks to stretch or move.
Some medical conditions can cause muscle aches and pains: fibromyalgia, autoimmune diseases and various infections.
TREATING YOUR OWN MUSCLE ACHES AND PAINS AT HOME
Treating your muscle aches and pains at home can be a good first step. Simply taking a little time to rest and recover can make a big difference, but it's important to know that "resting" shouldn't mean "doing nothing", but actually doing gentle movements and light stretching. Going from intense activity to nothing at all can actually make pain work.
Painkillers can also help in some cases, but it's important to make sure that you take tablets that are safe for you to take. If you're not sure, you should check with your pharmacist or GP.
Making sure you drink enough fluids and eat nutritious food is also really important. When the muscles have been injured, they need good fluids and nutrients to heal properly. ​
HOW DOCTORS AND MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS TREAT NECK PAIN
If home remedies don't help with your muscle pain, you might decide to go and see a GP.
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Many GPs will treat neck pain initially with stronger painkillers (prescription painkillers), and may refer you to a NHS Physiotherapist for further treatment. They may also refer you for an MRI or Xray to see if there is any structural cause for the pain you are feeling.
A physiotherapist may suggest a variety of exercises and stretches, depending on their local protocols.
Many people choose to use a sports massage therapist for muscular pain; it's one of the most common reasons people decide to have a massage treatment.
When you come and see me for sports massage in Chorley to help with muscular pain, I'll use a variety of techniques, including massage, sports massage, cupping, scraping and kinesiology taping, to help you feel better.
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When I see my clients, I examine exactly what is going on because as a fully trained therapist, I know that the location of the pain is not always the same as the cause of the pain - pain in the legs can be due to a back problem and vice versa. Sadly, many therapists are unaware of this.
The treatment I offer is personalised for you, with the aim of helping you get back to doing what you love as soon as possible. ​​